Peter Obi, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, is not having the best of times right now. A couple of weeks ago, he was under fire from former President Goodluck Jonathan’s spokesman, Doyin Okupe, for calling out Ogun people, asking if they are now buying bread cheaper having voted for President Bola Tinubu in the last 2023 presidential election. Doyin Okupe, who himself voted for and worked for Peter Obi at the last presidential election, questioned Obi’s reason for singling out Ogun state people while trying to mock Nigerians who voted for Bola Tinubu owing to the prevailing economic hardship being experienced by Nigerians.
It was not only Doyin Okupe that was
displeased with Peter Obi over his statement, which many considered illogical
and smirking of bigotry, many other Yorubas who voted for him at the last
election have all been very angry with him and a lot of them have gone online
to express their disappointment.
And just when this appeared to be fading
away, Peter Obi appears to be embroiled in another fresh controversy. While answering
questions during a live programme on Instagram called the Honest Bunch podcast,
had spoken ‘lowly of Christians,’ to be
use the exact words of some concerned and angry Christians. And for this
reason, Peter Obi has incurred the wrath of many Christians and has been told to
avoid attending the 2026 Shiloh, barely three months before the 2027
presidential election. Shiloh is the annual appointment with God ordained for
the church's dominion and the individual members of the Winners' family at the
Living Faith Church International, also known as Winners' Chapel.
Obi had said at the podcast;
“It’s attractive, politics and church but it has to be dismantled.
We are going to turn night vigil into night shift so that people can be
productive.
“I go to church and believe in God but we can’t have it that
people Monday to Friday, be in church morning and night. If I go from here to
my house, the only sign boards you see are those of churches. If you go to the
East, it’s burials and that’s not a country.”
A Christian-focused media platform, The Real
Church Gist, made the statement in a tweet on Tuesday, reacting to Peter Obi's
position on turning night vigils in churches to the night shift and condemning
the proliferation of churches in Nigeria.
Obi had emphasized that Nigeria's poverty and
unproductivity stem from politics and religion, sparking controversy when he
suggested that church vigils should be converted into night shifts. Obi argued
that too much time is spent attending church services from Monday to Friday, which
many saw as an infringement on religious traditions.
However, Obi later clarified that his
position on church vigils was misrepresented. He maintained that he intended to
highlight the need for productivity and economic growth, not disparaging
religious practices.
But The Real Church Gist said the Labour
Party chieftain would be reminded of his position on the status of churches
when the election in 2027 approaches.
The tweet reads in part: "You got your
highest votes where these churches are prospering and, in fact, some of them in
the most economically buoyant states in Nigeria. You know the areas in Nigeria
where the economy is at its worst. You know, those who are complaining about
the ongoing Tax Bill.
"Those who pray very, very regularly.
Those whose roads can't be used on week days due to prayers, those who refused
to vote for you. You had nothing to say about them. It is the Church you
saw."
See the tweet here:
·
DON'T
COME TO SHILOH OR CONGRESS IN 2026 NIGHT VIGIL HAS HELD FROM THE DAYS OF
APOSTLE BABALOLA BEFORE INDEPENDENCE UP TILL NOW SO WHAT YEAR DID CHURCH VIGILS
START STOPPING DEVELOPMENT THE VISION FOR CHURCH GIST WAS RECEIVED IN A NIGHT
VIGIL NO CHURCH HOLDS NIGHT VIGIL… Show more
In a sharp response to Peter Obi’s statement, Joshua
Mike-Bamiloye, who has made a name for himself as a gospel artist and
filmmaker, expressed his disapproval of Obi’s comments, calling them misguided
and even insulting. He argued that blaming church attendance for Nigeria’s
productivity issues fails to address the real underlying problems. "Vigils
are commonly held on Fridays, right before the weekend. If we want to be
productive, why not also ban recreational events, comedy shows, concerts—in
fact, ban every social gathering," he countered in a tweet.
Joshua went on to suggest that Nigeria’s productivity
challenges are not caused by church gatherings but rather by deeper, unresolved
issues. He ended his response on a humorous note, attributing such ideas to
Nigeria’s hot weather, which he joked might be impairing some people’s
thinking.
In a sharp response, Joshua Mike-Bamiloye, who has made a name for
himself as a gospel artist and filmmaker, expressed his disapproval of Obi’s
comments, calling them misguided and even insulting. He argued that blaming
church attendance for Nigeria’s productivity issues fails to address the real
underlying problems. "Vigils are commonly held on Fridays, right before the
weekend. If we want to be productive, why not also ban recreational events,
comedy shows, concerts—in fact, ban every social gathering," he countered
in a tweet.
Joshua went on to suggest that Nigeria’s productivity
challenges are not caused by church gatherings but rather by deeper, unresolved
issues. He ended his response on a humorous note, attributing such ideas to
Nigeria’s hot weather, which he joked might be impairing some people’s
thinking.
Many members of the Winners
Chapel who attended the last Shiloh programme which Peter Obi attended will
remember the rousing ovation Obi got when he was introduced by Bishop Oyedepo,
an experience Obi would love relive again. In addition Bishop Oyedepo spoke
glowingly of Obi’s qualities and potentials without outrightly mentioning his
name.
Hear Oyedepo: “What Nigeria needs
now is not a leader but a deliverer. What event will bring 50 nations together?
The only thing of value to the county today is the church. The country is battered.
Security is zero.”
He led the congregation to pray
to God to send Nigeria a deliverer as the 2023 general election approaches.
The prayers centre on the
following: “Lord, send us a deliverer. Lord, give us a deliverer. Send us a
deliverer and give us rest in Nigeria again.”
“I am not a beneficiary of
government. I have been called to service long before many of them started
their politics,” he said.
He warned that the destiny of the
country was at stake as “money distributors are busy distributing. Christians
all over the world if you love Nigeria pray.
“I couldn’t watch a human being
being set on fire. But I warned you in 2015. We are long overdue for rest. God
sent a deliverer in Israel and they had rest for 8o years. This land (Nigeria)
must have rest.
“Nigeria must have rest. We must
be able to travel to Kano again freely. We must be able to travel to Maiduguri
and have rest.
I have been quiet. We have the
Holy Ghost Congress where multitudes are gathered about now. it is only the
church that is giving a face of honour to Nigeria today. The church is at peace
and Nigeria is in crisis.
“You will not be a refugee in
another country. There shall be no war. There shall be no bloodshed in Nigeria.
Nigeria shall prosper again.”
Oyedepo proclaimed that “the
shame of Nigeria will be rolled away. The perpetrators will pay for it. You
can’t kill other people’s children and yours will be alive. God will work his
wonders in Nigeria. Every nation of Africa will have rest again. Every sponsors
of unrest in Nigeria it shall not be well with you.”
Without mentioning Obi’s name, he said: “We welcome all of them (Presidential candidates). But God will give us His choice and His choice will give us rest.”
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